Outcome Monitoring Design

Elaine Wright is a senior biodiversity monitoring and policy leader who developed New Zealand's national biodiversity monitoring framework as Technical Lead for the Department of Conservation. Working with Crown research and departmental collaborators, she designed comprehensive monitoring programmes at multiple scales across Public Conservation Land and Waters, creating an outcomes framework that was later enhanced to include social indicators and investment in iwi-led case studies to specifically to define and implement their monitoring needs under Te Mana o te Taiao, NZ Biodiversity Strategy.

As New Zealand's focal point for the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) from 2019-2024, Elaine played a critical role in the NZ delegation at Plenary sessions, facilitating internal profiling of outputs and promoting assessments to inform policy developments at local and national scales. She provided essential technical feedback on each assessment throughout this period and supported applications from New Zealand scientists and youth to participate in agreed Plenary developments.

Elaine's international expertise extends to research collaboration on programmes understanding changes in biodiversity indicators in relation to disturbance and environmental gradients in both New Zealand and Canada. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed literature and contributed to the development of suitable practices for mitigation and monitoring outcomes. She has served as an invited contributor, participant, and workshop facilitator across the Pacific region, including roles in Living Heritage and Empowering Communities initiatives in Thailand, conceptual modelling workshops in China, IUCN workshops for Small Island Countries, and red-listing workshops applying criteria using New Zealand case studies.

Pest Management, Biodiversity & Biosecurity

Kevin Collins has a Master of Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins and was an environmental journalist and lobbyist in Washington, DC, before moving to New Zealand.

He’s worked extensively in Aotearoa with regional and central government across biosecurity and biodiversity focused programmes, and has deep experience in pest management, where he chaired the Data Collaborative Group of Predator Free 2050. He’s also worked as part of a steering group that developed the “Future of Pest Management” proposals that were incorporated into the National Policy Direction and the Biosecurity Act amends of 2012.

As chair of the Regional Council Biodiversity Working Group, Kevin was instrumental in launching the “Strategic Roadmap for Biosecurity and Biodiversity Research.” which included work with the Ministry for the Environment to develop biodiversity and biosecurity indicators for regional councils.

Kevin was also a knowledge broker for the 10-year life of the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge. He connected researchers, stakeholders, and end-users to facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange to deliver impact pathways for Challenge research.

Kevin’s core competencies are in workshop design and facilitation, qualitative research, advocacy, communications and funding pitch development.

Pacific cultural lead Matai’a Fritz Evile

Matai’a Fritz Evile is a former Pacific Executive Leader in public service and now leads Oceanic Wayfarer, a consultancy dedicated to navigating systems change with cultural precision and purpose. Grounded in his Pasifika worldview, Matai’a brings an authentic oceanic approach to his work — one shaped by his ali’i chiefly title of Matai’a from the village of Sato’alepai in Savai’i, and ancestral ties to the villages of Taufusi, Iva, Fa’atoia, Apolima, and Poutasi.

He is a strategist, evaluator, and storyteller who blends data and narrative like a master navigator — one eye on policy, the other on the heartbeat of his people. His work spans coaching, evaluation, commissioning, outcomes frameworks, community engagement, and theories of change — each vaka he sails is grounded in equity, powered by evidence, and steered by Pacific values.

Matai’a has worked alongside diverse Pacific constituencies and across Pasifika communities in Aotearoa, from grassroots movements to government forums — ensuring solutions are not only culturally anchored but community-activated. His leadership is deeply shaped by his lived experience as a practising Catholic, proud rainbow partner, foster father, and Mangere-raised son of Sāmoa, Tuvalu, and Denmark. As a caregiver to his parents, he embodies the values of tautua and tausi matua in both personal life and professional practice.

Whether advising Ministers or anchoring community insights, he builds vessels that move institutions from intention to impact — always returning to the moana for direction, grounding, and truth

Monitoring Systems and Implementation

Meredith McKay is a senior environmental monitoring and evaluation leader with over 20 years’ experience delivering national-scale biodiversity and environmental monitoring systems. As Manager of Environmental Monitoring at Environment Canterbury, she leads a team delivering integrated hydrological, freshwater and ecological monitoring to support climate resilience, policy, and planning.

She also serves as New Zealand’s Head of Delegation to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), where she contributes to international governance, data policy, and infrastructure development. In 2024, Meredith convened the GBIF Pacific Engagement Meeting in Wellington, a key milestone for the EU-funded BID programme. Her leadership helped shape regional priorities and capacity-building actions for biodiversity data mobilisation and indicator development across the Pacific.

Previously, Meredith led the Department of Conservation’s Tier 1 Biodiversity Monitoring Programme, building foundational frameworks for data systems, QA/QC, capability, and cross-agency implementation. Her expertise lies in systems thinking, collaborative delivery, and translating science-policy interfaces into enduring tools and partnerships for governments, communities, and international initiatives.